Summer's End: A New Beginning
by XxMNinjaxX
Summary: Natsuki finally asks Shizuru to be her girlfriend. Set during the vacation from "Bathing Suits, Chivalry, and…Zanpaktos? A Mai-Hime Pool Party!" which is at the end of the Summer break that came after the Hime Carnival.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Mai-Hime! Masakazu Obara and Hiroyuki Yoshino do!**

**MaiMultiverse Bonus Submission**

**by ~SoccerHokage14**

***** This story is set during the vacation from my main submission, "Bathing Suits, Chivalry, and…Zanpaktos? A Mai-Hime Pool Party!" which is at the end of the Summer break that came after the Hime Carnival. *****

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Summer's End, A New Beginning

Waves crashed steadily on the sandy shore, the rhythmic hum of the gentle surf pervading the night. Serenaded by the ocean's soft, breeze-carried song, two teenagers sat peacefully in the moonlit sand. Side by side, they gazed in comfortable silence at the stars sparkling above the obsidian, white-capped sea. One of the teenagers moved to place her arm around the other, stiffening in surprise as her companion leaned into her embrace. Natsuki Kuga smiled.

"It's like you knew I was going to put my arm around you…"

A playful laugh rose above the hum of the sea, Shizuru Fujino smiling softly as she moved closer to her dark-haired friend, the other girl relaxing into her touch.

"Natsuki has been nervous for the past five minutes. I knew she was going to try something."

Although she couldn't see them, Natsuki knew that the tawny-haired girl's ruby eyes were glittering with mirth.

"Am I really that obvious?"

A small grin made its way across Shizuru's lips.

"Sometimes."

After a short moment, the burgundy-eyed girl nuzzled the blushing teenager's neck, smiling softly.

"But don't worry. I love how sweet Natsuki always is."

The midnight-haired girl's cheeks changed from pink to crimson at the contact and compliment.

"S-Shizuru…"

"Yes, Natsuki?"

The silk-voiced beauty looked up at her blushing friend, still smiling.

Flushing an even deeper shade of red after making eye contact with the crimson-eyed college student, Natsuki quickly redirected her gaze back to the stars.

"Nothing…"

The older teen suppressed a giggle at the serious look on the emerald-eyed girl's blushing face.

'My Natsuki is so adorable…'

The younger girl took a deep breath.

"So…um…"

The motorcycle-rider's expression remained serious, her eyes still fixed on the sky.

"We've been going on dates and stuff for a few weeks now…and…um…"

The beet-red girl took another breath, as if she was about to say something, then closed her mouth. After a quick pause, Natsuki's mouth opened again… and closed once more.

Expression softening, the crimson-eyed girl hugged her friend gently, saving Natsuki from her inner struggle.

"It was so nice of Natsuki to make time for me even though she had summer recovery classes…"

At the change of subject, the midnight-haired hime regained her composure, nodding with a smile.

"Hah…yeah, I'm just glad to be done with those…"

The conversation drifted into a pause, neither of the two women minding the comfortable silence.

After a minute, however, the tawny-haired teenager felt the ice hime's body tense.

"Um…Shizuru…"

"…Yes?..."

"I was wondering…If, um…If you'd…um…..."

"Of course I'll marry you, Natsuki! I'm so glad you finally asked!" Shizuru exclaimed, clasping her hands together in delight.

Inventing her own shade of extreme red, the navy-haired rebel sputtered in shock.

"B-Baka! I just wanted to know if you'd be my girlfriend!"

The second the words had escaped her lips, Natsuki slapped her hand over her mouth, looking at the college student with wide eyes.

Shizuru looked up at the younger girl.

"I would love to be your girlfriend," she breathed quietly, closing the distance between her and the surprised ice hime's lips.

After a long moment, the two teenagers separated, looking into each other's eyes.

Rendered speechless, all the emerald-eyed girl could to do was stare incredulously at the beautiful woman before her.

The ruby-eyed goddess smiled slyly.

"I'm still hurt that Natsuki doesn't want to marry me, though…"

The motorcycle-rider was snapped out of her trance.

"Shizuru! Of course I do!"

Placing her hand over her heart, the honey-haired girl drew back in surprise.

"Ara, was that a proposal I just heard?"

"What?! No!"

Laughing, the cherry-eyed hime closed the distance between herself and her lover again, enveloping the blushing biker in a warm, tender hug.

Returning her girlfriend's embrace gently, Natsuki smiled.

Just as the blush had faded from the motorcycle rider's cheeks, Shizuru spoke softly, her voice barely audible.

"Thank you, Natsuki…"

The midnight-haired rebel's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What? …What for?"

Shizuru closed her eyes, tightening her embrace.

"For making my wishes come true…"

The ice hime's eyes widened at her girlfriend's words. She pulled back, looking the tawny-haired girl in the eyes. What the navy-haired hime saw, shocked her.

"Shizuru…"

Seeing the emotion in her lover's eyes, like crimson waves crashing down in a vast, turbulent sea, Natsuki's expression became serious. The younger girl pulled the surprised college student into a kiss, pouring all of her love into the sincere action.

Crimson eyes opened wide, taken aback by the rebel's uncharacteristic response. After a moment, though, the ruby-eyed hime relaxed into her lover's strong, reassuring embrace, returning the kiss with an equally passionate one.

In the distance, fireworks exploded in flashes of bright light above the ocean.

Illuminated by the colored light, the lovers on the beach continued to kiss, lost completely in each other.

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**You all know what happens after this…The cute, new couple live happily ever after! Isn't fluff awesome? =]**

**I could really see Shizuru and Natsuki getting together like this in the show. Filling in the time gap between the end of the official last episode and the epilogue-like ending theme of the last episode (in which Shizuru is already in college) with their adorableness together.**


End file.
